During surgical procedures it is advantageous to provide warm, pressurized fluids for irrigation and infusion. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,263, an apparatus is provided for heating fluid contained in one or more bags and delivering the fluid from at least one bag to a surgical patient. The apparatus includes a housing sized and shaped to enclose at least one bag containing fluid and having a door positioned to provide access to an interior of the housing. The apparatus also includes an inflatable bladder mounted in the interior of the housing and connected to a source of pressurized fluid for inflation. The inflatable bladder is positioned within the housing for exerting force against at least one bag mounted within the housing. The apparatus also includes a heater mounted adjacent the housing door in heat transfer relationship with the fluid in at least one bag. The invention also provides a method for maintaining the temperature of fluid contained in one or more bags and for delivering the fluid from at least one bag to a surgical patient.
A simpler system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,528. A method and apparatus for pressure infusion and temperature control of infused liquids includes a receptacle for receiving a liquid-filled bag containing intravenous solution or other liquid and an inflatable pressure device. The inflatable pressure device is disposed within a pressure device bag and is positioned proximate the liquid-filled bag in the receptacle. The inflatable pressure device expands within the pressure device bag upon inflation and exerts pressure on the liquid-filled bag. A heating element may be disposed on the inflatable pressure device bag to heat the liquid-filled bag to a desired temperature. The liquid may alternatively be maintained at a desired temperature, while flowing to a patient via a heating assembly disposed along a tube. The heating assembly includes a sleeve having a slot for receiving the tube and a plurality of individually controlled heaters. An infrared sensing device is mounted proximate a drip chamber to ascertain a drip count, while a temperature sensor is disposed within a holder that is positioned toward the entry site on a patient. A heat controller controls the heaters based on a drip count, while a safety controller disables heater operation in response to liquid temperature exceeding the desired temperature. Alternatively, the liquid-filled bag may be heated to a desired temperature whereby the heating assembly includes a single heater controlled by a controller to maintain the liquid at the desired temperature during infusion of the liquid into a patient.
While systems do exist for providing heated, pressurized fluids for surgical purposes, they tend to be overcomplicated and not very cost effective.